Mail box vandalism tied to Confederate flag controversy (IA)

[struggle4progress]

By Dean Close · 2:34pm September 27th, 2015

The Benton County Sheriff's Office has received several reports of mailbox vandalism today. Although the authorities have not identified a suspect, one witness has.

"We had high school boys come by in a truck draped in confederate flags screaming 'N****r" phrases at our house and then taking a bat to our mailbox before speeding away" ...

... "I just thought everyone should know and I thought I would pass that word along to anyone who thought the flag issue was not about hate" ...

Other Vinton residents reported seeing and hearing high school students shouting "White power" as they drove past .. with Confederate flags on their vehicles.

http://www.vintoniowa.org/articles/News/article1015757.html

[BlueJazz]

1. They've been dragging out that old song for so long it's not even amusing anymore. It reminds me ..

...of the climate deniers. You show them all the facts, papers written on the subject, percent of CLIMATE scientists who say it's true and all you get are blank stares and firm disbelief. Tell them that we all came from Africa?? Get ready to fight. (I've been there).
One fun thing I'd love to do> Put a spring loaded trigger in one of those mailboxes with a gallon of oil-based black paint that will spray out like a fire-hose when hit. Hallelujah!! I'd love to watch THAT scene at night.

[struggle4progress]

2. Booby traps can lead to both criminal and civil suits

[BlueJazz]

3. I know, I know...I wouldn't actually do that but a guy can dream can't he?? I believe in kindness..

..toward individuals even when (I think) they don't deserve it. One of my failures.

[MineralMan]

4. 3/16" steel mailboxes, welded to a steel pipe post,

3' deep with a concrete footing will take care of that nonsense. If I lived there, I'd make up a few of those and install them on request for people in that neighborhood.

[struggle4progress]

5. Benton County investigating 48 vandalized mailboxes

VINTON | The Benton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating nearly 50 mailboxes being vandalized between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Sheriff Randy Forsyth said .. damage to 48 mailboxes .. ranged from a few dents to having the box separated from the post.

One homeowner whose mailbox was vandalized said he saw people inside a pickup truck flying a Confederate flag hitting the mailbox while using racial slurs ...

http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/benton-county-investigating-vandalized-mailboxes/article_08a10c0e-aa74-5176-bbba-314538e142d4.html

[Omaha Steve]

6. Iowa was considered a union state in the civil war like Nebraska

Yet after all this time there are still mind sets like this here.